Berkembangnya pendekatan Systemic Functional yang dikenal dengan singkatan SFL atau SFG telah mendorong para ahli bahasa untuk menerapkannya pada bahasa-bahasa lain. Pada tahun 2013, sebuah penelitian yang berkaitan dengan perbandingan tema dan rema bahasa Inggris dengan tema dan rema bahasa Nias telah dilakukan. Hasil dari penelitian tersebut dipresentasikan di seminar internasional yang diadakan oleh Universitas Andalas, Padang. Artikel tersebut dapat didownload di link ini. Berikut adalah abstraknya dalam bahasa Inggris.
Abstract:
Theme and Rheme as the realization of analyzing Clause as Message in Systemic Functional Grammar is an interesting topic to apply to other languages. It deals with the kinds of Theme that can be found in different forms of clauses and their relations to the Rhemes. Nias is a unique language but has not so far been touched much by researchers. This underlines the basic reason for the writer to apply English Theme and Rheme to it. The main focus is narrowed to certain issues related to the kinds of Theme as well as Themes and Rhemes in Interrogatives and Imperatives.
The theories related to the issues are taken from different experts, mostly of Systemic Functional Linguistics. The theories consist of principles in Topical, Textual, and Interpersonal Themes, Themes in Interrogatives and Imperatives, and their Rhemes. The data presented are English clauses and their equivalent Nias clauses examined analytically using descriptive-qualitative method and are then evaluated based on the theories.
The first result found is that Nias Themes are put at the beginnings. The second, Nias Conjunctives in Textual Themes are not as flexible as those are in English. The third, English and Nias Vocatives serve the same function in Interpersonal Theme. The fourth, Themes in Nias Interrogatives are similar to those in English, except that Nias does not have Finite Verbs. The last finding is that Nias Imperatives can be treated the ways English are. Differences found, however, are consequently the result of unique features of both languages.
